LAHORE: Another lifeless pitch, like the one witnessed during the Rawalpindi Test, has been prepared for the second Test starting between Pakistan and England in Multan, it has emerged.

According to sources, though Pakistan batting coach Mohammad Yousuf had left for Multan on the last day of the Rawalpindi Test to monitor the pitch preparation there, it was an unnecessary move as the curators had already prepared the pitch and nothing could be done in a few days except for cutting grass, if any.

Dawn learnt the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) knew that the pitch made for the first Test was in the best interest of Pakistan, whose pace attack looked weak in the absence of unfit spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi. However, it was English team’s quality of cricket that helped them to win the first Test even on a batters-friendly pitch.

PCB’s curator department always tries to follow the instructions of the captain and chief selector in making the pitch which best suits the home side, sources added.

Had Pakistan prepared a hard wicket, the first Test would have concluded inside three days, as such kind of pitch are friendlier for the England team, sources said.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2022